In the wake of Barack Obamas reelection win and ahead of a possible 2016 White House bid of his own, the Kentucky Republican plans to mix his hard-line tea party conservatism with more moderate policies that could woo younger voters and minorities largely absent from the GOP coalition. Its the latest tactic of the freshman senator to inject the Libertarian-minded views shared by his retiring father into mainstream Republican thinking as the party grapples with its future.

In an interview with POLITICO, Paul said hell return to Congress this week pushing measures long avoided by his party. He wants to work with liberal Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy and Republicans to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for pot possession. He wants to carve a compromise immigration plan with an eventual path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, a proposal he believes could be palatable to conservatives. And he believes his ideas  along with pushing for less U.S. military intervention in conflicts overseas  could help the GOP broaden its tent and appeal to crucial voting blocs that handed Democrats big wins in the West Coast, the Northeast and along the Great Lakes.

We have three big regions where were not competitive, Paul said. And we have to be competitive in those regions.

Paul, 49, was elected on the tea party wave that fueled GOP landslide victories in 2010, often declaring on the campaign trail that he had a message from the tea party: We have come to take our government back.

This sounds like a bunch of pandering to me, trying to get youth voters by pandering to their pot obsession and pandering to law breakers by forgiving their flouting of our immigration laws. Why is Rand drinking the group think Koolaid of the US news media that's telling Republicans to become like the Democratic party to win elections?? That's the translation for the tiresome "inclusiveness" demands by media pukes and spineless RepubliCants suffering Stockholm Syndrome from working for liberal media outlets for too long--and yes, that includes the Fox panel.

Guess what folks--they'll still vote Democrat. Hispanic voters aren't any different than the rest of the entitlement voters that supported Obama. In the next election after Reagan granted amnesty, the GOP's presidential vote share went from 37% in 1984 to 30% in 1988. They want the bennies. It's why they support the Party of Santa Claus.

When you become an imitation, people still vote for the real thing rather than the imitator. If tribal politics are the new norm in American politics where women don't give a rip about their jobs, their husbands jobs, or being able to find jobs, if they don't care about record debt and deficits their kids will have to suffer a huge hit in standard of living to pay off and the price of everything from food to gas to clothing under Obama up through the roof all because they need to protect their blood lust for murdering babies, then I don't want their votes. Nor am I willing to see the GOP become the second party of treason in selling out to illegal immigrants and rewarding law breaking. It's a sad state of affairs when Americans begin to vote as tribes rather than citizens. I honestly do not care if we lose every future election if it means not becoming Democrat-lite. When the country's economy then goes into permanent malaise and we in the future have to implement Greece-like austerity because no one will lend us money and because our economy is in the tank, and we then have rioting in our streets because tribal voters (not a racist term--meaning people who vote for their narrow interests) don't want to give up their welfare benefits, and when Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security consume 100% of the US budget because Obama and the Democratic party lacked the leadership and courage to reform them, then maybe Americans will give the Republican party and conservatism a second look. If that's 10, 20, 30 years down the road, I could not care less. Let America have its party. I will sit on the sidelines and enjoy watching the place burn to the ground. Americans deserve what they vote for. I say let us in the GOP take decades in the political wilderness if that's what it means to not give up what we know is true and what we know works: Conservatism.

By the way, I love how the piece gleefully reports that the Tea Party agenda has gotten nowhere, as if it could get anywhere having a complete liberal jack ass like Harry Reid in charge of the Senate or a statist left wing ideologue in the White House.

Any wavering on Conservative principles, to gain votes from certain demographics, is pandering and FAKE and won’t work. It’s not about trying to get MORE voters....it’s about keeping the ones who want a true Conservative party.

Stay in line with conservative values, principles and morals and keep your spine steady and stiff....STOP pandering to moderates, STOP pandering to ILLEGALS, and STOP trying to win people who ultimately won’t be won on stupid social issues. THAT is what is killing the Republican party. THAT is why people don’t vote. THAT is why registered Republicans leave and become Independents.

But...apparently, they’ll never learn....stupid elitocrats. I’m ashamed of Rand Paul. You’d think he would learn SOMETHING from his dad....stick to the Constitution and Conservatism....but NOOOOOO...he’s gonna follow the trap of so many MODERATES and RINOS before him. Dumbass.

2
posted on 11/13/2012 1:56:26 PM PST
by Lucky9teen
(Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.~Thomas Jeffer)

I’ll listen to his ideas before I condemn him. Rand Paul speaks of liberty more than any other man in public life, certainly more than our most recent feckless nominee.

Though if we abandon the principal of the rule of law for political expediency, it will not be worth it. For liberty is protected by only one thing, stated laws, known and obeyed by all, made by the people’s representatives, freely elected.

I have come to conclusion that these politicians do not do this type of flip flopping to woo votes away from the other side.

Instead, it is the principal of running from a bear. You don't need to be faster than the bear as long as you are faster than your hiking partner.

These politician are becoming more "moderate" to stay out of the spotlight and the judgmental eye of the media. As long as they are not the most "extreme" they should stay safe and will not be singled out for defeat like certain congressmen in Florida.

If enough of these politicians were to man-up and turn around and confronted the bear like a certain ex-Speaker of the house now does, the bear would either run away and leave them alone or be defeated in the battle of ideas.

I can live with the crap as long as he's pushing for more Liberty and Freedom in general. The RINO's could care less. The only thing they care about is a slightly different flavor of big government and to hell with Liberty.

16
posted on 11/13/2012 3:19:16 PM PST
by Sirius Lee
(RE SP - Republicans, from Mitt Romney ..to Karl Rove... are said to be concerned she will win.")

The Libertarians have always been for open borders. Just watch Stossel’s show to hear them advocate for it. They hate government in all its forms, including a government that would control the borders. It’s a tough fight when you have socialists, “white guilt” sufferers, business interests, the libertarians and some religious groups all trying to open the borders for one reason or another. This is a classic example where Johnny and Janey Lunchpail need to have their own organization that actually stands for common sense and the average American.

18
posted on 11/13/2012 3:22:56 PM PST
by JediJones
(Newt Gingrich warned us that the "King of Bain" was unelectable. Did you listen?)

There is a "path to citizenship!" It's called "immigration and naturalization."

Don't legitimate immigrants find these word games insulting and annoying? They were able to become American citizens through the proper channels. Why should throngs of Mexican workers be any different?

The path to citizenship is to obey the law and become a naturalized US citizen! Period!

If enough of these politicians were to man-up and turn around and confronted the bear like a certain ex-Speaker of the house now does

If you mean Gingrich, you're going to be deeply disappointed. Gingrich too is "running from the bear" as seen from his falling into the "inclusion" boilerplate b.s. too as seen here: http://thehill.com/video/campaign/266533-gingirch-says-hispanic-inclusion-necessary-for-gop. No one says Hispanics, blacks, women or anyone else can't be part of the GOP. I sure see a number of both in important governing posts and as speakers at the RNC. I don't see any sign on the door saying "Non-white males need not apply." This "inclusion" business is just code for becoming Democrats lite. I can see making the argument that conservatives need to do a better job at educational outreach to women and minorities to help them to understand how conservatism would best serve their needs and how liberalism has failed them. I would totally agree with that. But Gingrich by slobbering the media's inclusion line is just waving a white flag of surrender and conceeding a very dumb point the media is trying to make to weaken conservatism and the GOP. Why would anyone vote for the imitator when you could have the real thing?

21
posted on 11/13/2012 3:37:37 PM PST
by MissesBush
(The Fourth Estate has Become a Fifth Column)

Okay, I’ll admit on this board that the Rand Paul backers were right about Trey Greyson being a RINO, if the Rand backers will admit they wrong about Ron’s chip off the ol’ block being a “true conservative”. I’d say at least 70-80% of Paulbot candidates turnout to embarrass us later, and the younger Paul is no exception. IMO, the best candidate in that race was Bill Johnson and it’s a shame he dropped out.

I hope the GOP doesn’t move to the left on immigration. Inspite of all the talk and studies on this past election the GOP will have a very good shot at gaining the white house next time around. They will not have to fight a sitting president who attacked states like AZ and picked up Hispanic support by doing so.

Obama lost a lot of support this time around even with having the bulley pulpit so I feel good about the next prz election in 4 years. Now is not the time to cave. Also Obama being the first black president had something to do with his support. I actually think the GOP has momentum going into the next 4 years and that may carry the day.

I wasn’t speaking about Gingrich on this particular issue. I was more referencing his posture during the primaries where he wouldn’t accept the ways the media framed the debate. He unapologeticaly stood up to them and made arguments for what he believed despite their wish to paint him as an “extremist”. He gave cover for other candidates to stand up for conservatism and put forth conservative arguments.

Didn't we do something similar ala 1986 that was supposed to "fix" the problem of all the illegals already here.....then we were going to stop more from coming.

Or something like that. I've got an idea.........

Any employer (including YOU Mr. Politician; and your gardener) caught hiring an illegal alien is subject to a $10,000 fine and/or 10 years imprisonment for each offense.

For those of you still inclined o cross the border illegally...........please have your NOK write to Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) about the effectiveness of our landmines that have been salt and peppered along the border. Also, provide experiences with the stopping power of 5.56, 7.62, and .50 munitions.

This way we can stay current with the munitions needs of our National Guardsmen and reservists.

The icing on the cake.......contract the supply line, munitions development etc to Halliburton.

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